Reuseable coin wrapper



June 4, 1963 R. c. KERRELL 3,092,304

REUSEABLE com WRAPPER Filed Sept. 8, 1961 FIG.4

3 INVENT RICHARD C. KER LL BY Jana G,

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,092,304 REUSEABLE COIN WRAPPER RichardC. Kerrell, 1656 W. 2-23rd St., Torrance, Calif. Filed Sept. 8, 1961,Ser. No. 136,862 3 Claims. (Cl. 22987.2)

The present invention relates generally to coin handling devices, andmore particularly to a reusable transparent coil wrapper.

In the past, banks, department stores, places of amusement, and the likethat pay out and receive large quantities of coins of small denominationhave packages the same in paper wrappers, with each wrapper being ofsuch size as to contain a predetermined number of coins to facilitatehandling thereof. Although the use of coin wrappers is a convenience,for it minimizes the tedious chore of counting the coins, it also hascertain disadvantages. One of the major disadvantages of coin wrappersavailable heretofore is that when the coins are tightly packed in apaper wrapper they are difficult to remove therefrom due to thetoughness of the paper, and usually have been removed by striking theroll of wrapped coins against a sharp surface to break the wrapping.When the wrapper is ruptured it is of no further use and must bediscarded. Frequently during the course of business, particularly at abusy time, a cashier or other person may break a roll of coins, and indiscarding the broken wrapper inadvertently throw away coins therewith.

A primary purpose in devising the present invention is to provide atransparent reuseable coin wrapper, which by means of a simple bendingoperation permits coins to be easily and rapidly removed therefrom,allows the coins within the wrapper to be seen and inspected toascertain that no slugs or counterfeit coins are packaged with the legaltender, and permits the coins to be disposed in a compact column withinthe wrapper with a minimum of physical effort.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reuseable coin wrapperthat can be fabricated from standard commercially available material,requires no elaborate equipment for the manufacture thereof, isstructurally simple, and can be retailed at a sufficient-ly low price asto encourage its widespread use.

These and other objects and advantages of a first and second form of theinvention will become apparent from the following description thereof,and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a sheet of material before it is formedto define the wrapper of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the sheet of material shown in FIGURE1 after it has been shaped to define the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a first form of theinvention taken on line 3--3 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, longitudinal cross-sec tional view of asecond form of the wrapper; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the invention showing the manner inwhich coins may be dispensed therefrom by bending the filled roll in adirection normal to the longitudinal axis thereof.

With continued reference to the drawing for the general arrangement ofthe invention, it will be seen in FIG- URE 1 that a rectangular sheet Ais provided which is preferably fabricated from a polymerizable resin ofthe thermoplastic type such as polyethylene or medium impactpolystyrene. The length of sheet A, as well as the width thereof varies,depending upon the denomination of the coins to be packed therein afterthe sheet A is formed into the cylindrical configuration shown in FIGURE 2.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a sequence of transversely extending andtransversely spaced ribs B are formed in sheet A that project outwardlyfrom end portions of the sheet. The ribs B on the end portions of sheetA are parallel to one another. The longitudinal distance between ribs Bis determined by the distance required to hold a predetermined number ofcoins C, such as fifty pennies for example, when the coins are disposedin abutting stacked relationship, as shown in FIGURE 3.

After the ribs B have been formed in sheet A (FIG- URE 1), the sheet isshaped into the cylinder shown in FIGURE 2, with the longitudinal edges10 and 12 thereof being brought into abutting contact and heat-sealed toone another by conventional means (not shown), to provide an integralcylindrical shell D. The width of the end edges 14 of sheet A is, ofcourse, critical, for when sheet A is formed into the shell D shown inFIGURE 2, the internal diameter of the shell must be such that the coinsC are snugly held therein when in the stacked arrangement shown inFIGURE 3.

In the manufacture of the invention, it will be found convenient todeform portions thereof outwardly, with these outwardly deformedportions defining the ribs B shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3. It will beparticulanly noted in FIGURE 3 that as the sheet A is deformed to definethe outwardly projecting ribs B on one side thereof, which is theinterior side when the sheet is formed to define the shell D, that theopposite surface of sheet A has a series of circumferentially extendingand circumferentially spaced recesses 16 formed therein (FIGURES 2 and3) which overlie the ribs B. Recesses 16 are formed when the sheetmaterial A is subjected to pressure or other means to force portions ofthe sheet material outwardly therefrom and form the oppositely disposedribs B therein.

Should it be desired, the sheet A may be molded or otherwise formed froma polymerized resin, with the ribs B being molded as a part thereof andextending outwardly from one surface of the sheet without formation ofrecesses in the opposite surface of the sheet as previously described.When this construction is used, the second form of the wrapper shown inFIGURE 4 is provided. Irrespective of whether the invention is the firstform thereof shown in FIGURE 3, or the second form illustrated in FIGURE4, the two inventions operate in the same manner and accomplish the sameresult. The polymerized resin material defining the first and secondforms of the invention is resilient, whereby coins may be easilyinserted into the confines thereof in the stacked relationship shown inFIGURES 3 and 4, with the coins after a predetermined number have beenso disposed, abutting against the interior edge surfaces of the ribs B,as shown in the drawing.

Removal of the coins is an extremely simple operation and is effected bysimply grasping one of the shells D with one side of the shell beingsupported by the index and third fingers of the hand, and applyingpressure to the opposite side of the shell by means of the thumb. Thecoin container then deforms in the manner shown in FIGURE 5, with thatsurface portion thereof in contact with the index and third fingers (notshown) tending to elongate. As this elongation takes place the ribs Btend to move longitudinally past portions of the coins C stacked withinthe confines of the wrapper, and the coins positioned at the end thereofare then dispensed from the shell D, as shown in FIGURE 5. After thefirst few coins have been dispensed from the shell D as described, thebalance of the coins left in the shell are loose and may be simply andeasily removed by shaking the device.

When the coins areso shaken they tend to orient in positionssubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shell whereby itis possible for them to move out of the wrapper by passing through thespaces 18 defined between the ends of adjoining ribs B, as showninFIGURE 1. Of course, by squeezing the shell D the coins C remainingtherein can be forced from the ends thereof past the ribs B.

In the fabrication of the wrapper it is highly desirable, particularlyfrom the standpoint of convenient use thereof, that but four of the ribsB or'multiples thereof extend transversely across each end of the sheetA, with these ribs being spaced apart by a distance or space 18, whichis greater than the thickness of one of the coins C to be placed in thewrapper (FIGURE 2). The spaces 18 between the ribs B, as seen in FIGURE2, are oppositely disposed from one another in pairs, which facilitateseasy insertion or removal of coins from the wrapper, even though thematerial from which the wrapper is formed is not too resilient.

The operation of the invention has been previously described in detailand need not be repeated.

Although the present invention is fully capable of achieving the objectsand providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned it is to beunderstood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferredembodiments thereof and I do not mean to be limited to the details ofconstruction herein shown and described, other than as defined in theappended claims.

I claim: I

1. A reuseable coin holder for use in removab-ly hold ing a specificnumber of coins of a particular diameter within the confines thereofincluding: a cylindrical shell of a transparent, resilient polymerizedresin which is of such internal diameter that said coins will be snuglyheld When disposed in stacked relationship therein and be visible fromthe exterior of said shell when so disposed; and a plurality ofcircumferentially extending and circumferentially spaced ribs onthe'interior end surfaces of said shell, said ribs being spaced from oneanother at least the thickness of one of said coins that is to be heldin said shell, said ribs at each end being so disposed that said spacestherebetween are diametrically positioned in pairs relative to oneanother to permit edgewvise insertion of said coins in said shell ifdesired, which ribs are so longitudinally spaced that when said coinsare in stacked abutting contact in said shell said predetermined numberare contained therein, with at least a portion of said coins beingautomatically dispelled from said shell when said shell is deformed in adirection normal to the longitudinal axis thereof.

2. A coin holder as defined in claim 1 wherein said 'ribs are inwardlydeformed portions of' said shell, and

- ribs are an integral part of said resin defining said shell.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS836,555 Birnie Nov. 20, 1906 1,013,830 Weimer Jan. 2, 1912 2,480,368Jackson Aug. 30, 1949

1. A REUSEABLE COIN HOLDER FOR USE IN REMOVABLY HOLDING A SPECIFICNUMBER OF COIN OF A PARTICULAR DIAMETER WITHIN THE CONFINES THEREOFINCLUDING: A CYLINDRICAL SHELL OF A TRANSPARENT, RESILIENT POLYMERIZEDRESIN WHICH IS OF SUCH INTERNAL DIAMETER THAT SAID COINS WILL BE SNUGLYHELD WHEN DISPOSED IN STACKED RELATIONSHIP THEREIN AND BE VISIBLE FROMTHE EXTERIOR OF SAID SHELL WHEN SO DISPOSED; AND A PLURALITY OFCIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING AND CIRUMFERENTIALLY SPACED RIBS ON THEINTERIOR END SURFACES OF SAID SHELL, SAID RIBS BEING SPACED FROM ONEANOTHER AT LEAST THE THICKNESS OF ONE OF SAID COINS THAT IS TO BE HELDIN SAID SHELL, SAID RIBS AT EACH END BEING SO DISPOSED THAT SAID SPACESTHEREBETWEEN ARE DIAMETERICALLY POSITIONED IN PAIRS RELATIVE TO ONEANOTHER TO PERMIT EDGEWISE INSERTION OF SAID COINS IN SAID SHELL IFDESIRED, WHICH RIBS ARE SO LONGITUDINALLY SPACED THAT WHEN SAID COINSARE IN STACKED ABUTTING CONTACT IN SAID SHELL SAID PERDETERMINED NUMBERARE CONTAINED THEREIN, WITH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID COINS BEINGAUTOMATICALLY DISPELLED FROM SAID SHELL WHEN SAID SHELL IS DEFORMED IN ADIRECTION NORMAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF.